Menace behind your name
by Isla de Muerta
Summary: Fingerless and toothless bodies with burned face, begins to appear to random places in New York. BAU is been called for help again.
1. Chapter 1: Prologue: Mare

Menace behind your name

Storyteller: Isla de Muerta

Rating: T

Genre: Mystery/General/Family

Disclaimer: Characters of Criminal Minds aren't mine. Only those who you don't recognize are mine. Any similarities to anything between earth and sky are accidental.

Summary: Fingerless and toothless bodies with burned face, begins to appear to random places in New York. BAU is been called for help again. R&R, thank you.

A/N: Might include little fluffiness between my character and Reid later.

Chapter I: Prologue: Mare

As a child, she had only thought her name was odd. When she was teenager, she'd wanted to change her name to Mary. "Mom, here in America, my name means female horse," she'd complained to her mother. "But in Italy, where we're from, it means the sea," her mother had stated plainly. And that meant that the conversation was over. "Papá, daddy," she'd tried to plead her father. "You heard your mother, the answer is no," her father had said. "So you want peoples to call me a horse. I hate you!" she'd shrieked, ran out of the room to hers and slammed the door shut.

_Dear diary, _she had written that night, _my name is Horse Emmalinda Rossi. I'm 15 years old and I hate my parents. _Mare's mother was Italian and her father was half-Italian, half-American. The family had moved to USA, when Mare was seven. Her father had a brother, David, in USA but he didn't lived in New York where they had moved.

Mare met her uncle first time, when she was eight and had loved him from that moment on. Uncle Rossi, like she called him, had brought her Wish Bear- Care Bear and it was the only stuffed animal she ever got. After that name- and door slamming-episode, that bear comforted her when she had been grounded for two weeks. She called that bear Washy. And now, when she was 31 year old, divorced mother of two, she still had it.

"Well, not yet divorced but in two weeks," she reminded herself that morning. She'd been married to that scumbag, Seamus Tammock for five years and had never gotten anything from him. Now he'd gotten a shared custody with her to their children. She studied at university and at weekends worked part timed at Brooklyn PD. Four hours a day on weekends, full hours when Emmett Sean, five years and Mathilda Sicely, three years, were at their father. They lived in Bronx.

"Lily, don't forget to pack Mathilda's Hissy with her. She can't sleep without it. Their father will pick them up at noon," Mare shouted to their Chinese nanny/housekeeper Liang Soong, when she left to her classes that Friday morning. "You can go to home when the kids have left, I promised to pop in at the PD after my classes. I'll eat out or make the dinner by myself," she promised to Liang Soong, or Lily as she wanted to be called.

"OK, Miss. Rossi, and the Hissy is already packed. Mathilda never forgets it," Lily answers. The kids ran from their room to the little hall. "Give mommy a hug before I leave, "Mare begged. Her youngest, Mathilda gave her a big hug but Emmett showed her sour face. "What's the matter, buddy?" she asked. "Big boys don't give hugs," Emmett answered. "OK, but you'll miss it when you're with your daddy. Be good kids at their, promise. You know Margaret won't like if you bully each others there," she said, meaning the new girlfriend of Seamus. "Mavgavet is stupit," Mathilda stated. "That she is but you should never say it to her or she'll get hurt," Mare said firmly, "Kisskiss now, bye, "she then said and left. She waved to them when they waved to her from the window.

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She'd planned to only pop in at Brooklyn PD, but it turned out that they needed her longer. "We just got an anonymous letter, which we don't know what it means," detective Paul Aaronson informed Mare.

"And you need me to do what exactly?" Mare asked puzzled. "Only to see if it makes any sense to you," Aaronson said to her.

**"_Police, police, save her life._**

_**Is she A doctor or doctor's wife?**_

_**Here's riddle for you to solve,**_

_**If you can't solve, see what will evolve."**_

"Well, what do you think?" Aaronson wanted to know. "It's either very bad joke, a children's riddle gone bad or someone really is in danger. If that's the case, we have a big problem. Who is she and where," Mare deduced. "Anything else?"

"Sorry Paul but no. You'll just have to wait and see what happens if anything."

"Well, thanks anyway," Aaronson thanked Mare. "I'm sorry I couldn't help you more. If these nothing else, I'll go. They still give homework in school," Mare joked and left. On her way to home, she decided to make a pit stop at MacDonald's. "Big Mac, large fries, large coke with ice and chocolate-vanilla ice-cream to go," she ordered. "We have special offer on this week. Would you like a flavored whipped cream on your ice-cream?" a perky blond girl asked. "What flavors you've got?"

"Banana, mint and raspberry."

"OK, nice, I'll take mint, thank you."

"Coming right up," and the girl vanished to fill her order. After waiting for tenish minutes, she got her meal, paid it and left. At the other side of Brooklyn, a woman was just stepping into her car. "I'll be there very soon, honey. Don't open the wine yet. Kiss, kiss," she said to her phone. These were the last words that her husband would hear from her. Five minutes later, her phone went dead.

A/N2: Well, what do you think? Is it worth to continue?


	2. Chapter 2: Annadale

Chapter II: Annadale

"Mamie, Mamie, why there's a woman sleeping at the ditch?" about seven year old little girl asked from her sister. "You've been told not to go there. Man, you're stupid Becca. She's sleeping there 'cause she's tired," her 12 year old sister said. "But she doesn't have fingers," Becca informed. "What? Show me where," and Becca led Mamie to the place where she'd seen the woman. Mamie skidded down to the ditch, where the woman still was and poked her. A mask the woman had on her, slid away. "Oh gross. Becca, she's not sleeping. I think she's dead," Mamie said, climbing up from the ditch and pulling her screaming little sister away.

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Mare was cutting and slicing some paprikas for the dinner, when the doorbell chimed. "Darn it," she cussed when she got scared and cut on her thumb. Putting the bleeding thumb on her mouth, she went to open. "Mommy, mommy, look what Mavgavet bought me," Mathilda, who's carrot red hair bounced uncontrollably around, shouted when running in. " Hehey, Tilly, what is it?" Mare snatched her daughter in her arms. "It's a Baabi-dow. See how pvetty she is," the girl presented her new toy. Then she jumped down to floor and ran to her room. Little after that, Emmett came in with his father. The boy rushed past her, making airplane-like sounds and playing with a toy-plane. Seamus Tammock stalled at the door. "See you in two weeks, kiddo," he yelled to his son and met Mare's leer. "Wow, those glasses really suit you," he said to her. "U-hu, didn't we agreed that no toys for them. They have plenty already," Mare snapped to him, blue eyes flashing like lightning. "That was Margaret's idea. She thought that Mathilda needed Barbie so she bought something to both kids," Seamus explained. "Oh yeah and since when has she became a mother of my children? By the way, how is the blond cow doing?" Mare asked poisonously. "She hasn't become a mother of OUR kids but she'll soon become a mother of mine and hers child. Emmett and Mathilda are gonna have a little sibling on December. She's three months pregnant," Seamus stated proudly. "Get the bloody out of my sight," Mare hissed, eyes darkening and slammed the door shut. "Got to give you a credit on that. You've always been good at slamming the doors," Seamus yelled behind of it and left. Mare's cell started to sing. "Rossi," she answered and then, "Oh crap. I'll be there soon," ending the call. "Kids, mommy needs to go to a scene so you have to come with me," she shouted to the kids. They always used only word scene from crime scenes. "Wow, can we see the stiffs?" Emmett's eyes started to glow. "I don't wanna see no spits. Mommy, do I have to see spits?" Mathilda squeaked. "Emmett, don't speak like that, they are called bodies or DB's and honey, you won't see any of them, you'll be sitting in the car with your brother and wait for me," Mare explained and they went to get Mare's age old Nissan. She used the car only when she drove to the scenes. She studied to be a crime scene investigator or behavioral analyzer but she wasn't sure yet which one she wanted. But she helped in Brooklyn PD, as child expert which meant that she questioned children whenever they we involved with a crime and she also did whatever her supervisor wanted her to do. Collected evidence, took overalls or any other photos he wanted.

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Mare stopped the car at the other side of the yellow police-tape. "Sit here neatly. Don't come out and I'll buy you an ice-cream when we get back home," Mare bribed her kids. "A big ones?" Mathilda wanted to know, "Yes, real big ones," Mare promised, stepped out of the car and under the yellow tape. "Is my supervisor here?" she asked from one officer who gestured towards detective Aaronson. "Thanks," Mare said and went to her supervisor. "So, what do you have here?" she asked from Aaronson. "See for yourself," her supervisor said and lifted a corner of the black cover off the body. "Geez, that ain't pretty sight. I guess there's child involved because I was called in the scene," she noted. "Yes, unfortunately. Mamie and Becca Parker, sisters. Mamie is 12 and Becca 7. Becca found the body first but she didn't knew that it was a body. I'll let them tell you better, they're at the ambulance," Aaronson said and whisked his hand to the general direction of the ambulance. Before Mare could get up from the ditch, she heard a familiar sound of a boy, behind her. "Ew, she doesn't look too pretty. Is she like dead or something?" Mare's son wanted to know. "Emmett, didn't I told you to stay in the car!" Mare shouted to him. "Yes mom but I wanted to see the body. Now I can tell to my friends that I've seen a dead person. They're gonna be so jealous," Emmett figured. Behind her son, Mare heard a gagging sound and when she got on top of the ditch, she found her daughter from there, puking her guts out. "Mommy, he made me look and I didn't wanted to see. I think I'm gonna be sick again," Mathilda whimpered and puked again on the ground. "Right, that's it, no ice-cream for you young gentleman. Aaronson! I'm gonna have to go back home but I'll come and question those kids tomorrow afternoon when I get from school," she let her supervisor know. Aaronson nodded as a sign of understanding and Mare left.

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"Can we get the ice-cream now?" Emmett asked when they were driving back home. "I said no ice-cream for you. I'll buy one for your sister who'd stayed in the car unless you wouldn't have dragged her there to see the body," his mother retorted to him. "That ain't fair; all I wanted to see was the body. Please mother, please. It won't happen again," Emmett tried. "The answer is still no," Mare said firmly. "Margaret gave us ice-cream everyday. She said you are a bad mother 'cus you haven't bought Mathilda a Barbie. Girls need that kind of things so that they could grow up to women, she said," Emmett huffed.

"Is that what she said?" Mare asked. "U-hu. And she promised to buy Mathilda another one and to me Star Wars-figures, when we go back," her son said. Mare turned the car to the parking lot of a grocery store and took her bag to her hand. "You both are coming with me so you, young man, can see what you could have gotten if you'd stayed where you were supposed to stay," Mare said and they went to buy an ice cream to Mathilda. She also bought two hamburgers to the kids because she hadn't had time to finish the meal at home and now she was too tired to continue making it. She thought that after she'd put the kids to bed, she would order some Chinese to herself. Some spring rolls and that yummy specialty of the restaurant, mushu-chicken. "Mommy, is Wiwi coming tomovov?" Mathilda's sleepy voice asked under the pink blanket when Mare was tucking her in. "Yes, Lily comes again tomorrow. Mommy will have to go to the PD to ask some questions from two kids and then mommy comes back home. Be nice with Lily, OK," Mare told to her daughter. "Okie, mommy," the girl promised. "Good, now go to sleep. Good night," Mare said, "Don't vet the bedbugs bite," her daughter ended their shared goodnight wish and closed her eyes. Mare tiptoed out of the room but peeked at the other side of the homemade wall, to the Emmett's side of the room. The boy was already sleeping and she didn't wanted to wake him anymore, so she closed the door. She didn't had enough money to rent a two-bedroom apartment so she was forced to make creative conclusions for what came to their habits of living. So she'd shared the one bedroom they had with two bookshelves and made one room as two rooms. She herself slept at the couch in their living room/kitchen. That's where she slouched now too, fell to the couch and opened TV. She started to eat while watching the news channel. In the screen, the reporter was just explaining how the police didn't had any clue of the mysterious woman found at Annadale, Staten Island, that morning. "Great, that's what we needed," Mare huffed, took the leftovers to the kitchens fridge and decided to go to sleep too.

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"Well, Becca found her first but then I made her show it to me too," Mamie to Mare next afternoon. "What did you do then?" Mare asked, the girl thought for a while and said, "I slid down to where she was and poked her. She was dead and I told that to Becca. I took her to home when she started to scream and my mother called the police," Mamie told. "Good, now did you see anything unusual there, any strangers when you went to see the body?" Mare continued. "No strangers. I don't know if it is unusual but she had a mask on her face that slid away when I touched her and I found also this," Mamie said, digging her pockets and handing a calling card to Mare. "You took this from the body?" Mare wanted to know. "Yes. Was it a bad thing?" Mamie asked with quiet voice. "A bit but now it's been fixed so you don't need to worry," Mare calmed the girl, taking the card and putting it to a small plastic bag. "You can go now, "she then said and Mamie left. Mare herself went to Paul Aaronson's office. "Mamie found this from the body," Mare said, throwing the card to Aaronson's desk. "Is it relevant in this case or just some piece of paper?" Aaronson wanted to know. The card was violet and it had black text on both side of it. "Well this isn't like any of the calling cards I've ever seen. The text on this side is clear English but at the other side. What the heck does that mean?" Aaronson said, giving the card back to Mare. "It's Latin. Alea iacta est. Means something like The dice has been thrown, "Mare translated and got a quizzical look from her supervisor. "What? It's a hobby of mine. Latin quotes and sayings," she explained and left.

When she got back to home, there was war zone waiting for her. Emmett had thrown a tantrum to Lily and had locket himself to his and Mathilda's bedroom. "What did he do now?" Mare asked from Lily. "He told things about the body you've found to his sister and when I told him not to do so anymore, he ran to their room, yelling that Margaret would've let him do so, and that she was better mother and locked himself in there," Lily told. "Well, you can go now. This wasn't your fault; I solve this, "Mare said to Lily who took her coat and left. Mathilda was pounding the door, which stayed shut. "Come on Emmett, let me in, I want my book, "the girl screamed through the door. "No, I won't. Get yourself another room, this is mine," muffled voice said from the other side. Mare grabbed her daughter to her arms, carried the girl to the couch and turned the TV on from Nickelodeon. Then she went to the door of her kids room and yelled, "Next time when you'll do what you just have done, I'm not gonna warn you anymore. Remember our deal, three strikes and out. So next time, you'll be grounded for two days, got that?" and then she went to make dinner to them. After eating, Mare let them watch little more cartoons while she washed the dishes but when the clock was ticking eight PM, she shooed them to sleep and started to make her homework. But her thoughts slipped to what Emmett had said yesterday and today. She pinched the bridge of her nose, took her cell and dialed a number. The line beeped two times and then, _"Rossi," _came the answer at the other end. "I'm a bloody bad mother," she confessed to her uncle. _"Says who Emyn?"_ her uncle asked, using their mutual, secret pet name, which had roots on her favorite book. "Emmett, Margaret," Mare said and told the whole story.


	3. Chapter 3:Bennett Park

Chapter III: Bennett Park

"Anything else?" a woman behind cash machine asked from a customer at bakery. "No thank you. Oh wait, is the owners name by any chance, Leslie Hancock?" the customer asked. "No, his name is Hancock but he is Bennett Hancock. Why?" the cashier wanted to know. "I just knew one Hancock at college but his name was Leslie. Thank you anyway," said the customer and left.

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"_**Tinker, tailor**_

_**Soldier, sailor**_

_**But who forgot the Baker **_

_**And where has he gone?"**_

"So, we have another riddle and maybe another body, somewhere in New York," Mare said, reading the message for tenth time. "Yeah, maybe we already have another body but it hasn't been found yet. Can we assume that it will be found at Staten Island too?" Aaronson said. "That's very possible. Do we have anything of that first body?" Mare inquired.

"The killer had cut her fingertips and pulled all her teeth away, so we can't take fingerprints and dental records are useless. Her face was burned with some kind of acid. No purse, no ID's of any kind. She'd been dead for two days when she was found. For now, she's Jane Doe but after face reconstruction, we spread the picture and see what'll come up. Maybe somebody misses her already."

"What about the mask and the calling card?"

"Nothing. The mask is common carnival mask that can be bought from about every costume shop here. It wasn't decorated. And the cards material was too rough to lift any prints. Moreover, it had already been in that girls pocket. We have nothing for now," Aaronson explained. "Sure we do. I think we may have a serial here," Mare tried to lighten the mood.

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Detective Paul Aaronson had called to Mare's professors and had gotten a special permission to her that she could study and make notes in field and by doing so she'd replace the lessons as long as she reads the needed books, does the homework and goes to tests. "Are you a police now, mom?" Emmett had asked. "No, I guess you could call me a police student or CSI student," Mare had answered. "Do you get a gun?" was her son's next question. "I don't think students are allowed to guns," Mare said. "Awww. That's stupid. But at least I can tell to Greg and Jacob that my daddy's got a gun. He's gonna show it to me next week. He said that you should get one too," Emmett explained seriously. He too had carrot red hair and little, green eyes like his sister had. They've got their colors from their father. But where Mathilda's hair was curly and untamed, Emmett had straight hair. "I'm most certainly not gonna buy a gun just because your dad says I should," Mare said strictly. Her son shrugged his shoulders and said, "What ever. Can I go now? The guys are waiting for me."

"OK, but don't go too far," Mare said and the boy ran out. Mathilda was taking her naps so Mare thought she'd got time to do some laundry when her cell rang. Great, she thought and answered, "Rossi."

"How fast can you get here? This is important," she heard Aaronson's voice. "In 35-40 minutes," Mare said and was already on her way to Mathilda's room. "Tilly, pumpkin, mommy has to go to work so I'm gonna take you to auntie Nana. Emmett comes there too, after while," she whispered and took her sleeping daughter to her arms. Snatching quickly her own bag, she locked the door and rang the doorbell of the next door. Amanda Leland, Jacob's mother, opened. "I've to go to work, urgent things and Lily can't come this fast so could you take care of Mathilda and Emmett until I come back? Emmett is with your Jacob and Greg Garland at the yard," Mare asked. "Sure, no problem," Amanda nodded; Mare thanked her and hurried to get her car.

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"Sorry I'm late but my car decided not to co-operate with me today," Mare said to Aaronson, almost an hour later when she ran to his office. Mare's supervisor cleared his throat and glanced her which made Mare blush. "I was doing laundry," she explained her odd outfit of screaming orange hoodie, white sweatpants, non-matching socks and blue sneakers. "Jane Doe has been identified by her husband. She's Anna Dale. Husband is well known plastic surgeon, Michael Dale and yes, the name is funny coincident," Aaronson informed when Mare started to giggle. "One more thing. I presume that Bennett Park isn't in Staten Island," he continued. "No, it's in Manhattan. Another body?"

"Yes and it's been only few days of the first one."

"Anna was killed on Friday and today is Wednesday," Mare counted. "The body is at our morgue now. Pathologist said that this one was killed on Monday," Aaronson said. "And it's the same kind of body?"

"Yes, with the mask and all. No kids involved this time. And elderly lady found the body, sitting under a tree at Bennett Park."

"But we got the riddle yesterday. That doesn't make sense."

"No but the riddle indicated that there was a body already."

"Well, what do we do now?" Mare asked. "The same we did with Anna's body and hope that someone misses this one," Aaronson answered.

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Mare was weary when she finally got back home from PD and knocked Leland's door. Jeffrey Leland, Amanda's husband, came to open. "Hi, thank you for looking after my brats. Have they been good?" Mare smiled tiredly to him. "Yes, they've had great time. Especially Emmett. Mathilda dozed off to couch but I can go and wake her. Do come in," Jeffrey gestured. Then he went to get his wife. "Thanks Nana. How much do I owe you?" Mare asked, digging her wallet. "Oh, nothing. You can keep an eye on our Jacob sometime when we need. Now when I remember, Emmett has Jacob's jeans on him because he'd plopped into a mud puddle so he had to change his jeans. Would you want to take some meat and mushroom casserole with you? I made too much of it and we've eaten already. It's really good though reheated," Amanda asked, Mare nodded and Amanda went to get some. Jeffrey came again; carrying sleeping Mathilda in her blanket and after Jeffrey came Emmett. He was putting his shoes on when Amanda came back, bringing casserole pot. Mare took her daughter on her arms and whispered to Amanda, "Put it in my bag. Thank you once more." Jeffrey opened the door to them. When they entered to their apartment, Emmett asked, "Do I have to brush my teeth now?"

"Not this time, buddy. Just take your clothes of, put you pajamas on and wash your face. Then of to bed," Mare promised, peeling Mathilda's clothes off her. Then she carried the sleeping girl to her side of the room and managed to put nightshirt on her. After while, a little boy with blue pajamas came from toilet to his mom and kissed her. "Nighty night, mom," he whispered. "Night buddy," Mare whispered back, went out the room, closing the door. Then Mare walked to her kitchen and heated the casserole in micro. When it was ready, she took it from the micro, walked to the couch and started to fork it to her mouth while doing her homework. She sighed, realizing something. "Great. Just great. My life is one big cliché. My neighbor takes care of my kids when I can't, gives me food when I have no time to make it to myself and also I live in a one bedroom flat in Bronx. Life is just peachy," she mumbled to herself.


	4. Chapter 4: Claremont Park

Chapter IV: Claremont Park

"That was fun. We should do it again sometime," Jessie Mason giggled to her friend. The two girls were just returning from "Cheerleaders can be wild too"-event to home on Friday morning at 1 AM. "Not on coming weekend but next one maybe?" Jessie suggested. "I can't. We have family reunion on that weekend at my aunt's home," Jessie's friend complained. "Oh no, you mean your aunt Shelly from Texas? You're going to have to fly to Texas?" Jessie groaned. "Yeah, all the way. But weekend after that sounds good," the other girl said. The girls didn't had same lessons that day at college so they wished happy weekend to each other. "See you on Monday, "Jessie yelled to her friend when they parted. "Yeah, see you," her friend shouted after her when Jessie continued her way. Turning back to wave to her friend, Jessie saw her instructing something to a stranger, from a map. Jessie decided to continue right back to home.

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"I'll get it," Mare shouted over her kid's loud play, after she hardly heard the doorbell. "Hello Horsey," a man at the door said, after Mare opened it. "Stop calling me that Domenico," Mare flashed a smile to her big brother. "Is that uncle Nicky?" Emmett shrieked from another room. "I don't know carrot. Come and see for yourself," Nicky yelled back. Soon enough, two running kids almost pushed him down. "Well, lady Carrot, am I uncle Nicky?" he asked from Mathilda, who was climbing onto his lap. "I'm not cavot," the little girl giggled. "You're not? Then who are you?" Domenico joked. "My name is Mathivta Sicevy Tammock," girl said and nodded on every name. "So I presume that he's not lord Carrot then, huh?" Tilly's uncle asked, pointing Emmett with his thumb. "Naha, he's Emmett Saan Tammock and he's my bvo," Tilly explained. "Well then, now that that's been cleared, are you two and your mother ready to go to zoo?" Nicky asked. "Go on kids, clean your toys away, put on your shoes and then we'll go. Would you like some coffee while waiting, it can take a while?" Mare asked from Domenico when the kids ran to clean their toys. "Sure, thanks Horsey," Nicky couldn't resist the temptation to call his sister that. "Hey, I told you," his sister said and he was rewarded by a slap on his head. "Next time I'm not gonna warn you and it'll be a whack, not just gentle slap," Mare said. "Ouch, understood. If that was a slap, I don't want to experience your whack," her brother said, rubbing the sore spot on his head where Mare had just slapped him.

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"Well, what's new in family?" Mare asked from Nicky, when they were walking at the zoo. "Patty and his girlfriend Emily got engaged," Nicky told, meaning their younger brother Patrizio. "How about mom and dad?"

"They like to live in Savannah. They'd want you to move back there," Nicky said. Mare had moved to Savannah with Seamus, when they got married and her parents followed her. Emmett was born on March and they got married on July. Two years later, in September, they got Mathilda. Year after that, Seamus, Mare and the kids, moved to New York. When Mathilda was two, Seamus met Margaret and moved away. Mare and Seamus lived in judicial separation for a six months and now they were getting divorced. "I can't. Seamus will never let me take Emmett and Tilly that far. Emmett has got friends here and he starts school on September," Mare sighed. "I understand," Nicky said. They saw a helicopter buzzing on the sky. "Hey, could that be Donald Trump?" Nicky asked excited. For some hidden reason, Nicky was a huge fan of that man. Mare looked at the sky. "No, that's a new copter," she said, recognizing the colors and the logo. Nicky looked disappointed and Mare wondered what had happened.

Little after noon, when they were finishing their fries and ice cream, they saw another copter. "Look mommy, look, it's Mr. Trump," Emmett fussed. He and his uncle admired the same person and Emmett had learned to recognize Trumps copter. "That's his copter? Wow. Are you sure?" Nicky asked from his nephew. "Sure I'm sure," Emmett confirmed and they both followed the copter as long as they could see it.

At 2 PM, it was time to get back to home when Mathilda started to whine. She was tired. So they loaded the kids to Nicky's rental car and drove back to Mare's place.

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"It was nice to see you again, Nico, "Mare said, using the other pet name of her brother. "It was nice to see you and the carrots. I know I should visit here more often but Savannah is so far from New York," her brother said.

"Are you gonna stay here tonight, uncle Nicky?" Emmett asked. "Sorry buddy, but I can't. But next time, I will, "Nicky answered. "Promise?" the boy said. "I promise. Pinky swear," Nicky promised and they pinky swore. Then Emmett ran to his side of the room. "Well, I got to be going. I have meeting tomorrow so I bought ticket on a flight that leaves this night," Nicky told to Mare. "Say hi to mom and dad from me," Mare said and let Nicky leave.

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Later that night, after she got the kids to sleep, Mare decided to take a shower. After that, she went to her bed and turned the TV on. On the screen, a reporter was explaining something that got Mare's attention.

"_Around noon, one of our own reporters found a body that had no fingers and teeth. The face of the body was also burned with something," _brunette reporter told to the audience. "Oh you've got to be kidding," Mare cussed and answered to her cell. "How does it go this time?" she asked from Aaronson. _"Clare, Clare, everywhere. Was pretty, young and full of life. Now she can't become anyone's wife. Has the killer already hit?" _Aaronson wondered. "Yep. Claremont Park, Bronx. Don't you ever watch the news?" Mare asked. _"You were right. We have serial killer here. You have now official permission to call BAU for help," _Aaronson said and ended the call. Mare checked the time from her cell. It was late. "The hell with the time," she decided to call anyway and dialed the number.

"_Rossi," _the other end answered immediately. "A little bird called news channel just told that we have some wacko loose here who is knocking off good peoples of New York here and I just got official permission to holla BAU to the rescue. Would you ask from the team, uncle?" Mare informed. _" I'd be happy to do that Emyn and I'm pretty sure that we'll be there soon," _David Rossi said on the other end. "Thanks, uncle Rossi," Mare smiled to the cell. _"No problem, Emyn. It'll be nice to see you again. I've missed you," _David said. "I've missed you more, goodnight uncle Rossi," Mare said. _"Goodnight Emyn," David said and ended the call. _


	5. Chapter 5: Douglas Avenue

Chapter V: Douglas Avenue

Douglas Manning was returning from a business trip, early on Saturday morning. It was 5 AM. He planned to take a shower back at home, when he noticed a hitchhiker. He stopped his car and asked, "You need a ride to somewhere?"

The hitchhiker entered the car and told the address.

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It was 6 AM at that Saturday morning and BAU's plane was heading to New York. "Fill us in, David," Aaron Hotchner said to David. "We got a call of help from detective Paul Aaronson, Brooklyn PD, last night," David Rossi started. Mare had said that officially the request of help came from Aaronson so David used that instead of mixing the team with Mare's participation in that case, yet. "It seems that they have a serial killer loose there. Three bodies have been found from totally random places," David explained. "What makes them think of a serial killer?" Derek Morgan asked. "All three bodies were found without fingertips and teeth, face burned," David answered. "Anything else?" Hotch inquired. "Yes but the rest you'll find out there. We'll meet the leading investigator, detective Paul Aaronson and his assistant when we've landed."

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Mare and Aaronson stared to the sky. They were waiting the team to arrive, when Mare spotted their plane. "There," she said, nodding to the direction of the landing plane. "Do they always travel like that?" Aaronson admired, when they walked to welcome the team. The team was already waiting for them. "Let me introduce you, agents Aaron Hotchner, David Rossi, Doctor Spencer Reid and agents Derek Morgan Jennifer "JJ" Jareau and Emily Prentiss. This is my supervisor, detective Paul Aaronson. My name is Mare Tammock, I'm his assistant/student which means that I do everything boring instead of him," Mare joked. The team shook hands with Aaronson.

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Back at precinct, the team, Aaronson and Mare gathered in Aaronson's office. "So, have you been filled in?" Aaronson let Mare do the most talking. "Somewhat," JJ answered. "OK, I'll tell you the whole situation. The killer, who ever he is, leaves us first a kid of message, kidnaps the victims from random places, kills them, cuts," Mare was explaining when Aaronson's cell rang. "OK, yeah, thanks. We'll be there," was the quick conversation and Aaronson glanced Mare. "Looks like you can fill yourself in because we have another body," Mare said, turning towards the team. "Douglas Avenue, Queens," Aaronson told and they left to the scene.

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"Why does the body looks like that?" Reid asked at the crime scene, after Aaronson had gone to see the body. "The killer puts a white mask on them. No fingertips, no teeth and no ID's whatsoever. Hey Aaronson, the calling card?" Mare yelled to Aaronson, who lift a small tag bag for the team to see. "That's his calling card. It's violet with text on both sides. At the other side reads 'Alea iacta est' and at the other 'Sleep tight'," Mare explained. Aaronson's cell rang again. He spoke a little while and then said, "Let's go back to the precinct so you can start to make the profile. Mare, the two unknown bodies has been identified."

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"Tell us about the bodies that's been found before," Hotch asked from Mare, when they were back at Aaronson's office. "First one, Anna Dale, was kidnapped and killed on last Friday. She was found from Annadale, Staten Island. The second, who's just been identified as Bennett Hancock was found three days ago, Wednesday from Bennett Park, Manhattan and with the latest one before today's body, we had luck. She's Clare Royce, killed early on yesterday morning. Found from Claremont Park, Queens," Mare informed the team. "Anna, Bennett, Clare. ABC. Do you think the same that I'm thinking?" Reid figured. "What? That this victim was found from Douglas Avenue so his name probably is Douglas? That thought has crossed my mind, yeah," Mare said. Morgan and Reid looked at Mare surprised as if they couldn't believe their ears. "Hey, just because I work for NYPD doesn't mean that I'm complete dimwit. Besides, I have very clever uncle," Mare defended herself and NYPD. "Oh yeah and who might he be?" Morgan asked, bit despising. Mare lift her left eyebrow and nodded to David's direction, saying, "Him." Reid blushed. "But you said your name is Tammock," he said. "My maiden name is Rossi," Mare quipped to him, which made Reid's blush even redder. Not wanting to taunt Reid more, Mare started to explain the situation further and her own conclusions. "The killer or as you say, the unsub, writes the text with black letters to violet card. These colors are used as liturgical colors in churches. Black is the color of grief, sorrow, perishableness and death. Violet is the color of remorse and confessing the sins. Am I right, doctor Reid?" she asked Reid's verification to what she had concluded. "Yes, that's right," Reid confirmed. "And what about the mask? Why does the unsub use that?" Prentiss wondered aloud. "Well, white is also liturgical color. It's a color of joy, thanking and purity. I think the unsub wants to purify the victims from whatever they've done to him, wants to give them new face," Reid thought further. "And the cause of death, the COD is?" David asked. "Asphyxiation/poisoning. The victims were poisoned by mixture of Curare and Dumbcane, which is a tropical plant that can be kept as houseplant. Curare causes paralysis to the nervous system of movement and ceases the function of respiration muscles. Dumbcane causes intense burning, irritation and immobility of the tongue, mouth and throat. It means that they swell and that can block breathing so you'll die. Clever mixture," Mare flattered the unsub. "Is Curare what I think it is?" Morgan wanted to know. "Oh yeah, the arrow poison, used by the South American Indians," Mare confirmed. "So the unsub injected the victims with the poison, right?" Hotch asked. "Probably or more than probably," Mare said.

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Later that evening, when the team had booked on hotel, David decided to visit his niece. Mare had given him the address and now he was standing behind her door, waiting for someone to open it. A little boy came to the door. "Yes?" he asked from the crack of the door. "Is your mother there?" David used friendly voice. "Yes she is. Mommy, there's someone at the door and he asks you!" the boy yelled to his mother and ran back in. Mare came to the door. "Oh, hello uncle. Come in," she said and let David enter. "Was that Emmett?" David asked. "Yeah. He is five now and thinks he is big boy already. Sorry, I didn't hear the bell, we were washing the dishes," Mare said, whisking to the general direction of where Emmett had vanished. Mare turned around, when something tugged her leg. "Come here Tilly, don't be shy. This is Dave. He is my uncle like Nicky is yours," Mare told to Mathilda, who had appeared behind her mother. "Hello Tilly," David greeted the girl. Tilly tilted her head and looked at David, criticizing. Then she said, "My uncle doesn't have a beard," and ran to her room. "Oh gosh, I'm sorry," Mare said, ashamed but David shook his head. "That's OK. Besides, she is right. Domenico doesn't have beard. What's her name?"

"Mathilda. She's only three and I forgot that you haven't met her," Mare replied. "Who invented her name? Seamus? You still married with him?"

"Yeah, he invented the name but I liked it too. And I'm getting divorce next week."

"Good. And the kids?" David asked. "Shared custody but I can keep them most of the time," Mare said. "And you, how are you doing?"

"Oh, I'm fine. I try to keep things simple. I study in the university and I'm almost graduated. I'm thinking to join in BAU after my studies," Mare was touched by the concern of her uncle. "I think I can help with that if you want," David said. "Oh, that would be too much to ask."

"Not at all, Emyn. After your graduation, call me and I'll make sure you have a job and house waiting in Virginia," David promised. "Seamus would never allow me to move there with the kids," Mare was sure. "Let me take care of him too," her uncle assured. "Can you honestly promise me a job there?" Mare was in tears. "I talked a little while with your supervisor. He said that you are one of the most talented students he's ever taught and supervised. And BAU needs that kind of workers," David told. "Thanks, uncle Rossi," Mare whispered, hugging David. "Why are you crying, mommy?" a small, scared voice came again behind Mare. "Mommy is just so happy. But we might have to move after mom is finished her studies," Mare said to Emmett. "We're gonna leave New York? That's OK, I never liked this place anyway," Emmett informed. "But I thought that all your friends are here," his mother said surprised. "I can get new ones and I can always visit them when I'm with dad," the boy said. Mare looked to David, smiling and said, "Well, if I have a house and a job after my graduation, it's a deal. We're moving to Virginia then."


	6. Chapter 6: Elizabeth Avenue

Chapter VI: Elizabeth Avenue

Elizabeth Kenville was at hers and her partner's office, changing clothes, after their radio show, when Babette Scott, her friend and partner from the show appeared to the door. "You have plans for the night?" she asked. "Yeah, I'm going for a little jog, then I'm heading to home and spent quiet evening, "Elizabeth answered. "OK then. See ya tomorrow morning," Babette said when Elizabeth ran out. On Sunday morning, Babette came to work and found the clothes that Elizabeth had used on work last night, but she didn't found Elizabeth's running clothes. She tried to call to her friend, only to discover Elizabeth's cell ringing at the table of their office. Elizabeth hadn't returned from her jog, last night.

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"These arrived this morning. Yesterday's victims name is Douglas Manning. This time the note isn't in a riddle form," detective Aaronson said, on Sunday morning. Mare and the BAU team had gathered to Aaronson's office.

"_I didn't like Douglas at school._

_Now I like him more. "_

"And what does the other note say?" Hotch wanted to know. Aaronson read that other message too aloud.

"_Elizabeth was mean to me._

_But I still survived._

_And now she's where she deserves to be."_

"This first one should've come yesterday but it got lost somehow and was found this morning," Aaronson explained, waving the first message.

"And now we have yet another body. We just heard that a popular and much liked radio voice, Elizabeth Kenville, is probably disappeared so she might be our next victim," Mare told to the team before she went to fetch coffee from the coffee automatic. Reid followed her. "This must've been my tenth cup already," Mare confessed to Reid, when he caught her. "Umh, I'm sorry about yesterday. About what me and Morgan said," Reid apologized, "Bad night?" he then asked, noticing how tired Mare looked like. "Is it that obvious? And here I thought I looked so fresh and well rested," Mare asked, took her glasses away and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Well, people usually do that, pinch their nose like you did, when they feel tired and you mentioned the amount of coffee you've drank already so I made the conclusion from those facts," came Reid's reply. Weak laugh escaped from Mare's lips, "Single mom of two plus some nasty stomach bug in the other equals a night straight from hell," she said, gulping the coffee down and buying another. "Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you're married," but before Mare had time to tell how things were with her, Aaronson and the team walked pass them, clearly going somewhere. "Doctor Reid, Mare, let's go. Elizabeth Kenville may have been found," Aaronson informed to them. Reid went to fetch his bag while David brought Mare's. "You want to drive with Hotch, Reid and me? We don't know the route to Elizabeth Street," he suggested to Mare. "OK. I'll come with you but that street is at Queens like the last one too," Mare said and threw the plastic cup to the trash.

At the crime scene, they could identify the body because of the tattoo that Elizabeth Kenville had on her left shoulder. "What an unusual place for a tattoo," Reid pointed out. "Well, that little butterfly made it easier and faster for us to identify her because it was left hidden. That is Elizabeth Kenville," Mare said. And when that was sure, Hotch left only Prentiss, Morgan and JJ to the scene.

"Have you had success with the profile?" Mare asked when they were driving back. Morgan, Prentiss and JJ would return with Aaronson. "We're little puzzled but we might be able to tell it tomorrow," Reid spoke before others. "Good. What about the media?"

"JJ is giving a press conference tomorrow too," David turned to tell to Mare from front seat. Mare nodded.

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Mare spent the rest of the day doing paperwork, visited at grocery store and drinking cup after another, coffee but still she fell asleep over her desk. It was late at night when Reid found her. He'd forgotten something at the police station and had come to fetch it. "Oh crap, what's the time?" Mare got scared when Reid woke her. "Almost 9 PM," Reid responded, causing Mare to grab her bag, groceries and run out. Reid ran after her, catching her cursing at the street. Mare had forgotten that she'd left her car at home because it hadn't started that morning. "I can drive you to home," Reid offered. "Could you? Oh thank you so very much," Mare thanked, digging her cell from her bag. She called to her home number. "I'm so sorry. I'll be there soon," she ended the call to Amanda Leland, her neighbor, who was taking care of Emmett and Mathilda at their home. Emmett had picked the bug from Amanda's son, Jacob, so she'd offered to look after Emmett and Mathilda. She'd said that it didn't matter if she would get it too.

Thirty minutes later, Mare and Reid were behind Mare's door. Reid had insisted to carry half of the groceries in. "How's Emmett? Oh, you can take them to the kitchen, Reid, its back there. Thanks!" Mare instructed Reid when Amanda opened the door. "He's feeling better but I'm afraid that Tilly's got it now. Who's the cutie?" Amanda wanted to know.

"Uh, he's Doctor Spencer Reid from the BAU. And you are married Nana, so don't you get any dirty thoughts," Mare quipped. "Who me? I was only concerned about you and your dirty thoughts, "Amanda jested. They heard a small cough behind them. "I, I'll be going now Mrs. Tammock, goodnight and guess we'll see tomorrow," Reid stuttered, which made Mare think that he'd heard Amanda's comment. "Thank you again Reid. Goodnight and please, call me Mare, not Mrs. Tammock," she managed to say before Reid skedaddled from the apartment, carefully avoiding looking at Amanda. Mare was left alone when Amanda returned to her own home, little after Reid had left. Mare glanced the name on her door. "Next week, on this time, there won't read just Tammock," she said to the name on the door and went in, closing the door after her.


	7. Chapter 7: Franz Sigel Park

Chapter VII: Franz Sigel Park

"Mommy? Do you hear me mommy?" scared little voice penetrated to Mare's dream stirring it so much that she woke up. "Yes Emmett, I hear you. What's the matter honey pot?" Mare asked, alert but still little sleepy. "Tilly threw up on her bed," Emmett told, pulling his mother up. Mare checked the time from her cell. It was 3 AM on Monday morning and she had slept five hours. "Oh mother hen," she silently cussed, realizing that she wouldn't be sleeping anymore this night and that she would have to take Tilly with her at work.

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"Having a bad morning?" a stranger asked from Franz Delight, who was sulking at Franz Sigel Park. The stranger sat to the bench next to Franz. He glanced quickly at the stranger and said, "Yes. I just had a fight with my boyfriend."

"I'm so sorry to hear that. But is he really the Right for you then? Would he miss you if something would happen to you?" that stranger asked. That was bit odd question but after considering it a while, Franz had to confess, "I don't know would he miss me. I really don't know."

"We'll just have to find that out then, won't we?" the stranger whispered and stick something to the left side of Franz's neck. After while, a shadowy figure checked Franz's breathing and pulse. When it was obvious that Franz was really dead, that figure destroyed all things that would lead identification. "Done," the figure hissed after placing the mask and calling card. "Happy hunting," figure whispered and vanished into the dark night.

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Mare had been so lucky that she wouldn't had to bring Mathilda with her to work. Amanda had promised to take care of the girl, once again. Emmett was with their other neighbor, Mrs. Makarios, because he was feeling much better now. But the luck ended to there and her car refused to start. She was so pissed off to her car that she walked all the way to the Franz Sigel Park before she tried to get a cab. She was just passing one bench when she noticed that the man, sitting on it, was too still. That something was not right on that picture. She walked closer, meaning to speak to the man, when she saw the mask. "How nice," she mumbled and dialed Aaronson's number. "Good morning Mare," she heard from the other end after three or four beeps. "Is today some freaking Friday the thirteenth or what the heck is going on here?" Mare snapped to the cell. "Can't I say good morning to my smartest student without having to be afraid that she would eat me?" Aaronson tried to joke. "Haha, have you got the mail yet?" and Mare heard paper rustling. "Yeah, why?" Aaronson's voice came back to the line. "Any suspicious letters because you wanna know what I've just found?" Mare's voice gave a hint to Aaronson. "Oh shoot, where? At Franz Sigel Park, Bronx. We'll be there soon," he understood and ended the call.

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The first police patrol arrived after ten minutes and they started to isolate the scene. Aaronson and the team arrived after thirty minutes. "What the heck are you doing here anyway?" Aaronson asked from Mare but she gave him so fiery scowl that he left the matter there. She was just giving her statement to the coroner when her uncle spoke to her. "Emyn?" he said questioning. "My car is not co-operating with me, I was pissed off to it and decided to walk to here," Mare explained. "And what's wrong with all the cabs in New York?" David asked amused of his nieces temper. Mare rolled her eyes, "Nothing I guess. But I found him, didn't I? It's a good thing," she tried to justify. "What am I gonna do with you Emyn?" David chuckled. Mare smiled apologizing and shook her shoulders.

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"The unsub we are searching is most likely white male. He is 25-35 years old, not any younger or older," Hotch started to give their profile. "His working hours might be flexible or he might work from his home. From what we've seen so far, he kills only with poison. Victims have trusted him so he must be looking very trustworthy," Morgan continued. "We don't know yet, how he manages to kill his victims this rapid timetable, there is so short time period after killing and next victim, but we think that he might've chosen his victims beforehand. Maybe the unsub has checked how the victims look like. Then he simply has followed them, everybody has to come out few times during the day," Reid explained.

"And how the unsub chooses the victims?" one office asked. "Phonebook. Then it's easy to find out the victims address and the daily routine of the victim. One call. The unsub just pretends to be an interviewer to some phone research," David answered.

"Why the mask and the calling card then? What do they mean?" Aaronson wanted to get that clear. "He wants to give a new, clean face to his victims. Reason we don't know yet. And the card is simply to announce that he has made his move. The message at the other side of the card shows a remorse that the unsub must somehow feel, for what he's done," Reid told.

"How do we then know about his next victim?" someone asked.

"The unsub, sends a letter to us first. This came yesterday," David said and waved a white sheet of paper to all.

_"Franz, Franz_

_Your life was like a dance._

_But your choreography was wrong and bad._

_From the beginning until THE END"_

"And today's victims name was Franz, right?" one police, that was on the scene, asked. "Yes. And all other victims have been found from a places that match with their name," Prentiss answered to him. "That's sick," someone said. "OK, this'll be all for now. Thank you for listening. Let's get back to work now," Hotch ended the general clamor that the last comment had caused and sent all do their duties.

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Later that afternoon, the team, Mare and Aaronson had gathered to his office to watch JJ giving a press conference. Mare was sitting nearby Aaronson's desk, leaning her head to her hand. "Thought you might need these, Mrs., uh, Mare," Reid parked beside Mare, offering her a bottle of water and two white pills. "Geez Reid, you scared me," Mare sighed because she hadn't noticed Reid coming. "Oh, sorry," Reid apologized and was about to leave but Mare put her hand to his knee, preventing him for leaving, smiled accepting Reid's offerings, saying ," No need to apologize. Sit. And thank you, I really need these. This headache is killing me," and Reid couldn't help but to smile back. This whole little event wasn't left unnoticed from David. For some reason, it made him smile and he shook his head when he noticed the expression on Reid's face.


	8. Chapter 8: Hester Street

Chapter VIII: Hester Street

"It's just over midnight and it's Tuesday. Moon is full, wind is howling like a pack of wolves and I'm all alone in here, in this cemetery. My name is Hester Halverton and I am gonna catch a ghost in my film," eleven year old girl spoke to her video camera, trying to sound scary. She targeted her camera to something interesting that she had seen. "Look, look. Over there, sitting on that tombstone. Could that be a ghost?" she whispered, letting her camera film and moving towards her "target". Soon enough she noticed that her "ghost" was actually a living person. "False alert," Hester commented to her camera, disappointed. "Shouldn't you already be sleeping at your home?" that person asked from Hester, who shrugged her shoulders, "I'm trying to catch a ghost to my film," Hester told. "What a coincidence, I'm doing the same. And I know just a perfect place where you could catch one," the person confessed. "You do? Could you show it to me? Please?" Hester begged. The person looked like regretting, "I don't know. Can you keep it a secret then?" and when the girl nodded, that person said, "OK. Come, I'll show you the place." Hester left, eager to see if she really would see a real ghost and catch it to a film.

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Mare had found another letter to them, amongst the arriving mail and she had it on her hand when she was buying her second cup of coffee, that Tuesday morning. She was trying to comprehend the contents of it but the mind-numbing headache made it pretty difficult. "Hester never liked the ghosts. Guess what she was afraid of the most?" Mare read aloud when she suddenly heard a child's voice, speaking to her. "Excuse me Miss. I don't know if this is the right place to come or you're the right person to tell this but my friend is or might be kind of missing," a clear but somewhat uncertain girl voice said to Mare. Mare turned towards the voice and faced a slender, eleven years old girl with brown hair and eyes. "Let me see what I can do. What's your name? I'm Mare," Mare addressed the girl. "Lana Jimenez," the girl said, obviously relaxed. "What do you mean by that what you said? That your friend is or might be kind of missing?" Mare asked from Lana. "Well, we were supposed to, um, film ghosts last night at this one cemetery. You know, like try to catch a ghost to a film. I was gonna meet my friend at the entrance of that cemetery but I was bit late. I didn't saw her anywhere near, so I decided to wait for ten minutes. After it had passed, I though that she was a wuss for not showing up there and left," Lana explained. "So what makes you think that she is missing?" Mare asked. "She wasn't at her home either. I went to fetch her to school little while ago and she wasn't there. I asked her parents but they didn't even knew about our plans for last night," Lana told. "Then why are you here and not her parents?" Mare wondered. "Because her parent's don't care about her," Lana stated an obvious thing. "OK, I'll se what I can do. Could you tell me how your friend looks like and her name also?" Mare asked for Lana. "Sure. She has light brown hair and it's on her shoulders. Blue eyes, as tall as I am. I don't know what she was wearing last night because I didn't saw her. She is as old as I am. And her name is Halverton, Hester Halverton," Lana gave the needed information and Mare thanked her. "Can I go now? I'm already late for my classes," Lana asked and Mare nodded to her. After getting the permission, Lana disappeared quickly.

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Mare watched the girl going and after she couldn't see Lana anymore, she put her notebook to her pocket and returned to her desk. "Who was that?" Reid had parked himself, once again, beside Mare's desk. It had become a habit and Mare didn't mind of it. Reid was, after all, kind of cute. In a boyish kind of way. "Who was who? What? Oh, her. She's Lana Jimenez. She came to tell that her friend is or might be kind of missing," Mare told, absentminded. "But you don't believe that she is," that wasn't a question but a statement. "Mmh, no. No I don't. She might be a little runaway. Her parents don't care of the girl, said Lana," Mare mumbled, trying to find something from her desk, under all the papers on it. "What's her name?" Reid asked then. "Who's?" Mare had already forgotten the whole incident. "The little runaway's," Reid reminded her. "Yeah, her name is, wait, I wrote it in my notebook. Here it is. Halverton, Hester. Happy now?" Mare read from her notebook and threw it on her desk. Reid was going through the unsubs latest letter, "Um, Mare," he said cautiously. But the thought had already dawned to Mare too. She stopped the rustling, raised her eyes to meet Reid's and said tensed, "Reid, what's the very first word in that letter?"

After Reid read it, Mare sprung into an action. "Aaronson, I need a map of New York where I can see every single street name, even the smallest ones!" she shouted to her supervisor. "We don't have one here," came his reply. "Damn it, Reid!" was her next option. "Already on it," Reid had figured, in a split second, what Mare wanted.

Aaronson and Hotch, who was discussing with Aaronson in his office, changed a dumbfounded glance. "What just happened?" Aaronson asked from Hotch. "I don't know. I only know that Reid is good, fast, but I've never seen this happen before," Hotch responded. "They look good together, don't they?" David, who was sitting on the edge of Aaronson's desk, said. Before the other men had time to say anything, Mare had snatched her bag and ran to the doors, Reid close behind her. "Aaronson, uncle Rossi, Hotch!" she yelled, "Hester Street, Manhattan," and everyone understood what she meant.

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When they arrived at Hester Street, they found somewhat chaotic scene. People were standing around the body, shaking their heads. Some teenagers were actually filming the body or taking pictures of it. But they all moved aside when they saw the team and police patrols arriving. Mare stepped out of their car and taking a one quick look, she could tell who the body was. "That's Hester Halverton," she said with quiet voice. "How do you know? How can you be sure?" Prentiss asked. Mare opened her notebook from one page, handed it to the other woman and nodding to the page that was open, said, "Her friend, Lana Jimenez, reported her missing, little before we left here. With the letter of this morning in mind, I counted two plus two together and the result is this."

"Great, just what I've always wanted. Now we have to go to Hester's parents to tell them that their daughter, of who they never cared of, is dead. That they should come to recognize her," Aaronson sighed. "I'll do that," Mare muttered, looking at the body of the girl. "Are you sure? Because I can do it too," Aaronson asked but Mare nodded, determinedly, "I'm sure. I'll do it."

"I'll come with you," Reid promised. "Thanks, "Mare gave a weak smile to him and walked to one of their car. "Don't let it get too hard for her," David said to Reid before he left to follow Mare. "I won't," the younger man said and ran to the car.

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Mare drove in front of one, very scruffy building, stopped and got up from the car. Side by side, they walked to the stairs and climbed them up to the outdoor. There, Mare stopped and took a deep breath in. "You can still back off and let detective Aaronson do this," Reid reminded Mare silently. "I have to do this sometime and it's better do it sooner than later," Mare said and entered the building. They looked from name board and found that Halverton's lived in that same floor where they were now. They walked down the corridor and knocked on the door of the apartment, where Halverton's lived. Someone slouched to the door and when it opened, they stared to the eyes of a shabby, unpleasant woman. "Yeah?" said the woman with squeaky voice. "Umh, are you Mrs. Halverton, a mother of Hester Halverton?" Mare asked politely. "Guilty. And who might you two be?" came the not too polite answer. "I'm Mare Tammock and with the NYPD and he is Doctor Spencer Reid from BAU," Mare replied. "So what has the little slut done now?" Mrs. Halverton wanted to know. "Can, can we come in first Mrs. Halverton?" Reid tried and the woman let them come in but not further than the small entry. "So?" she asked again. "Madam, we're very sorry but your daughter is dead. You should come to the coroner's office to identify her," but to Mare surprise the woman didn't really cared. "Why bother? She got what she deserved. Always hanging around at that cemetery, looking for troubles. Well, now the troubles found her. Take that picture from those frames and identify her by yourself or ask her little friend to do it. Are we done now?" the woman said and before Reid or Mare could say anything, she slouched back to the apartment. "What about her father? Would he come?" Mare shouted after the woman. "No he wouldn't. Now go," they heard the answer. For a while, Mare just stood there and stared after the woman. When she got her voice back, she said, "Take me away Reid," and almost literally ran out of that apartment. Reid ran after her and when he got to the car, Mare was already in, sitting at the passenger's seat. "You did what you could," Reid comforted her. "Just drive Reid, or I'll swear to whatever gods and saints there is that I'll jump out of this car, run back there and punch that woman right to her shabby little face," Mare warned Reid, who instantly started the car and drove away.

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"How did she take it?" David asked from Reid, that evening, when Mare had left to her home. "Not too good. When we got back to the car, she threatened that if I wouldn't take her away immediately, she would go and hit that woman who we met. She's little scary, you know," Reid gave the report. "No, she's Rossi and whatever you're gonna do with her, remember that at first hand, she wants to be independent. She'll ask your help and support when she feels like it," David instructed the younger man. Reid blushed, "Is it that obvious?" he asked and David laughed, "I'm her uncle. It is to me."


	9. Chapter 9: Jerome Avenue

Chapter IX: Jerome Avenue

Jerome Walker was returning to school, from a corner shop, where he had bought his favorite pizza, on a lunch break on that Wednesday. He decided to use a shortcut through a nearby park, after he'd noticed that he would be late otherwise. Under one tree, Jerome saw someone looking up to another tree. He couldn't tell if that someone was male or female. When the little African-American boy was passing that character, it spoke to him. "Hello little boy. What's your name?" Jerome heard. "Jerome, Jerome Walker," he answered. "Well Jerome, I have a little problem which I think you can help with. You see, I bought a kite to my nephew as a birthday present and I was testing how it flies but it got stuck high on that tree. Could you help me to get it back down?" the character pleaded. "Sure I can," Jerome was polite boy. And he liked to climb on trees. "Thank you. Behind those bushes is good place from where you can climb up. Lots of branches to get a grip," the character explained and showed Jerome the place.

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"_Jerome always said he likes me._

_But I know he was pretending._

_He was the biggest backstabber._

_But his story wasn't never ending."_

"You don't look too good. Are you OK?" Read had managed to sneak behind Mare's back but Mare had learned to wait for that. "Is it just me or do you walk that silent all the time?" Mare didn't actually answer to Reid's question. "Did I scare you?" Reid asked, clearly sorry for what he'd done. "No you didn't. And I'm fine. I just didn't slept much last night," Mare told. "Because of what happened yesterday?" and Mare nodded. She looked so sad and somehow discouraged that Reid didn't know what to say. The team had been in New York almost a week and because it seemed like they would have to stay there longer, Hotch had given them a day off on Thursday. To brighten up Mare's mood, Reid said, "I have a day off tomorrow and I was wondering if you would like to go out with me?" Mare looked at Reid, baffled. "You're kidding me? I have a day off too tomorrow. But I gave my nanny a day off too so we'd have to take my kids with us," she said and regretted instantly, wondering if Reid wouldn't want to go out with her anymore. But instead of trying to bail out from that situation, Reid said, "Then we take them with us. What can we do here with kids?" and Mare suggested that they'd visit in Prospect Park Zoo. "I have two kids," she then told, "A boy and a girl. Emmett has just turned five and Mathilda is two. I always forget that she's actually two and say accidentally that she's three. She'll turn three on this September."

Reid nodded and asked, "At what time I would come and pick you up?" and they agreed that eleven would be good time. Then Mare turned her back and was in a halfway to Aaronson's office when Reid suddenly yelled," Can I give you a ride to home tonight?" and just then noticed what he'd done. A roomful of police officers who were Mare's friends but luckily his friends weren't there to hear him. Many heads turned to look at him and Reid wanted to sink right through the floor. Mare had stopped, turned towards him and yelled back, "Sure you can. I thought you'd never ask," a little laugh in her voice. Then she turned again and walked to Aaronson's office and Reid went to get some water from the water automatic. He'd just taken a plastic cup from the automatic, when he saw a woman at the corridor. She looked little lost so Reid went to her and asked, "Can I help you, Miss?" The woman looked to Reid and said, "I'm not sure. One of my pupils didn't return from lunch break," and she told her name and the school where she was teacher. "What is the name of this missing pupil?" Reid asked politely. "Jerome, Jerome Walker. He's only nine years old," the woman answered. Reid had started to feel little suspicious and asked what Jerome looked like and other details that would help to identify him. "Please, find Jerome. He's such good boy, so polite and sweet," Jerome's teacher pleaded. "Don't worry Miss, everything possible will be done. Now, if you're in hurry, this officer will take you home," Reid assured and sent the woman away. Now Reid too was in hurry and as soon as the woman couldn't see him anymore, he ran to knock on the door of Aaronson's office. "Come in, Doctor Reid," Aaronson said behind the closed door. Mare was still there, when Reid entered in. "Is there any street or avenue, named after Jerome, in New York?" Reid's question was destined to Mare. Mare pondered for a while and replied, "Yes. Jerome Avenue in Bronx. So that's where we go next, right?"

"That's where we go next," Reid confirmed. "I'll tell everyone," Aaronson said.

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On the scene, Reid told the team everything that he'd heard from Jerome's teacher. "Jerome Walker. His teacher reported him missing about an hour ago. She has called to Jerome's mother and father also about their son being missing but they know as much as Jerome's teacher," at this point, Reid paused and took a quick look at Mare, like apologizing already his next words, " Jerome is only nine years old," and then he quieted. "Oh man. What's next?" Morgan sighed.

David, who had stood little aside, walked now to where Mare was standing. Reid was standing behind her. "Emyn," David spoke with soft voice," this might be tough for you. Nobody will blame you if you don't want to do this," he said. "It can't be the worse thing that I have to deal with in this job," Mare said back and went to ask what she could do, from Aaronson. After giving her the instructions, Aaronson walked to where David was. "I'm not gonna let her take the bad news to Jerome's parents, this time," Aaronson said to David. "I know. I wouldn't let her do that either. I'll do it myself," David said and left before Mare noticed. He waved Morgan to come with him. "Keep an eye on her, Reid," David said to Reid and walked to the car, where Morgan was already waiting.

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It was only 5 PM, when Aaronson ordered Mare to go home. "But I'm fine and I've got tons of paperwork to do," Mare resisted. "You will go home or I'll have you handcuffed here, right in front of everybody and drag you out myself," her boss threatened and Mare had to give up. Aaronson nodded to Reid," Take her home."

Mare was silent for the whole drive to home and didn't even seem to notice the anxious glimpses that Reid made. When Reid stopped in front of her homebuilding, she finally spoke. "I'm sorry that I won't let you come in tonight," she said with hardly audible voice. Reid nodded as a sign of understanding, lifted his hand and softly swept a tress of Mare's hair behind her ear. "Are we still gonna go out tomorrow?" he asked to confirm their plan. Mare smiled sadly, "Yes, of course. And Reid, thank you, again," she said. "For what?" Reid asked. "You know," Mare whispered, turned to Reid and gave him a quick, gentle kiss on his cheek. Then she climbed out. From the crack of the door she said, "Tell my uncle that I'm OK, no need to worry," and closed the door, leaving Reid sit there in a blissful trance.

Reid was still on cloud nine, when he arrived back to the precinct. Morgan and JJ noticed him first. "Will you look at that," JJ said with quiet voice, to Morgan. "What's got into him?" Morgan said just when Prentiss arrived with some papers. The brunette agent took one look at Reid and turning back to others, said in a singsong voice, "Reid and Mare sitting in a tree," enjoying others expressions. "No. You're kidding, aren't you?" JJ said not believing her ears. "How do you know?" Morgan wanted to know. "I happened to overhear when Reid asked Mare out. And he blurted out something this morning and that I heard also. He looked like he wanted to sink right through the floor," Prentiss said in a winner's voice. "Let's see who is right," Morgan decided, walked behind Reid and tapped him friendly on his shoulder. "Where's your little girlfriend? Did you got her safely home?" he asked playfully. Reid turned his head to Morgan and said, "She kissed me," and then he walked away, leaving Morgan dumbfounded ogling after him. The two female agents walked where Morgan stood and Prentiss said, "I guess I was right."

"What?" Morgan was still speechless. "Don't drop your eyes while ogling like that," JJ said and both women walked away laughing at Morgan's expression.


	10. Chapter 10:Can I be your memory?

Chapter X: Can I be your memory?

Exactly 11 AM, on that Thursday, Reid was behind Mare's door. He pushed the doorbell and soon he heard running steps and someone yelling, "I'll open!" The door opened and Reid stood in front of a small boy. "Hello," said the boy, "you must be Reid," and let Reid come in. "Who is it, Emmett?" Reid heard Mare shout; the boy shouted back, "Your Reid!" and ran to somewhere, laughing little mischievously. Just the way little boys do when they've said something that makes their parents embarrassed. Mare appeared from their only bedroom and said, "Hi Reid, we're soon ready. Oh, that little monkey was Emmett but I assume that you know that already." Reid nodded. "Tilly, Emmett, shoes on!" Mare ordered and the kids obeyed.

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They were in good time at Prospect Park Zoo. "The kids are enjoying this and I'm enjoying too Reid," Mare said when they walked little behind the kids. "Are you?" Reid asked and Mare nodded. They walked in silence awhile and during that time; Mare slipped her hand on Reid's hand. "So, you must've seen pretty awful things with the team," she broke the silence," How do you deal with all that you've seen?"

"It's not easy always. I had a very close friend in BAU, he was like father to me. Jason Gideon. He left about a year ago. He always lifted me up when I was about to fall down to somewhere dark place but in the end, it was he who couldn't take this anymore. You would've liked him and he definitely would've liked you," Reid told. "I'm sure of that," Mare said and continued, "I've heard that you're genius."

"You've talked with JJ, haven't you?" Reid smiled. "Yeah and Morgan and Hotch and Prentiss. They all say the same. Tell me."

"Well, I graduated from a public high school in Las Vegas when I was 12 years old. I hold PhDs in Mathematics, Chemistry and Engineering and BA's in Psychology and Sociology," Reid told. "Ouch. Wow, so is that all?" Mare's face was worth of seeing. "I'm working on BA in Philosophy," her companion added. "You're joking, right? I mean, how can you remember that much information?"

"I have eidetic memory," Mare's eyes widened, "A what?"

"Eidetic memory. It means that I can remember exceedingly large amount of information with extraordinary detail," Reid helped. "Oh wow. Can I melt all this little while? Let's go eat something. There's a McDonalds near here. Emmett, Tilly, I'll buy you an ice-cream for dessert," Mare suggested.

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"OK kids, say thank you to Mr. Reid and then to wash your teeth," Mare said to her kids that evening, when Reid had brought them home. After McDonalds, they'd visited in New York Botanical Garden too. "Thank you Mr. Reid," Emmett and Tilly said in unison, though in Tilly's case, out came "Mr. Viit" but that didn't bothered. "Good, now you first Tilly," Mare shooed her daughter to the toilet, going after the girl herself. Reid followed her with his eyes when he felt someone staring him. Emmett had just out his shoes where they belonged and now, the red headed little boy spoke to Reid. He nodded his head approvingly and said, "You're OK," before walking to his room. Soon after that, Reid heard a splashing noise and Mare yelling," Mathilda Sicely, get back here, now!" and then, naked, wet little girl ran from the toilet to Reid, hugged his foot and ran giggling back, leaving Reid to wonder what had just happened. "Stay at the bathtub, "Mare ordered Tilly, before appearing to the door, with towel. "I'm sorry about that," she said, pointing Reid's wet leg of trousers. "Oh, I didn't even notice that. Well, I better go before I get the other one wet too. Goodnight Mare, see you tomorrow," Reid said and turned to leave. "Goodnight Reid. See you tomorrow. Hey Reid," Mare said, like she had something to add. Reid turned back to Mare and got a sweet kiss from her. And this one was aimed right to his lips, "Thank you of this day," Mare whispered.

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Little after Reid had left, Mare's cell rang and she saw her uncle's number on the screen. _"Are you free for a cup of coffee?"_ David asked."I'm always free for you. Emmett and Tilly are sleeping and I can get Mrs. Makarios to look after them while I'm with you. She'll do it gladly," Mare replied. They agreed to meet at the café.

David was waiting for Mare when she arrived. "Hello uncle Rossi," she greeted and hugged her uncle. "Hi Emyn. How was your day?" David asked and noticed how Mare started to radiate. "It was lovely. I was out with kids and Reid," and David nodded, "I know."

"What? How? You've been spying on me, uncle?" Mare inquired laughing. "Who me?" David asked innocently, "No. Actually, I happened to overhear JJ, Prentiss and Morgan talking about Reid's blurt and made my conclusions of that. You like him, Emyn?" David's voice was warm. Mare sat opposite her uncle, silently, sunken into her memories about Reid. Shy smile crept on her lips," No. I don't like him. I'm beginning to think that this is much more than liking, uncle Rossi," she confessed. Then she blushed. "You're not telling me something Emyn," David noticed. "It's nothing big. I just kissed him tonight."

"Nothing big, Emyn. Nothing big," her uncle laughed," On cheek?" and Mare shook her head, "On lips," she said. "Then he won't be any help tomorrow because he's flying on a cloud nine or somewhere higher," David said with fake despair in his voice. "But at least you can trust on him on a way you couldn't trust on Seamus. Oh and by the way, I've bought you a house from Virginia. It's near Quantico," David told. "Oh, thanks uncle, how nice," Mare just said, absentminded. She'd sunken back into the memories. How Reid had touched her at the crime scene, how he had swept her hair behind her ear. Every little smile, every word. David just followed this trip down to memory lane. "Earth to Mare, come in Emyn," he then said gently. "Sorry, what did you just said?" Mare snapped back to the reality, "You've bought me a house?" They'd finished their coffee's long time ago and now David just stood up, not saying a word, about what he'd just said, just to tease Mare. "Come on," he gestured, "I'll walk you home," and he wrapped his right arm around Mare's shoulders so that she could rest her head on his shoulder.


	11. Chapter 11: Madison Square Park

Chapter XI: Madison Square Park

"Wait here Madison. Mum's gonna quickly visit that store and come right back," Mrs. Isaaks said to her daughter. "Why mum?" little Madison asked. "Mum forgot to buy candles to granny's cake," Madison's mother answered. She took her purse from the backseat and climbed out. "Mum, what day is today?" the little girl asked suddenly. "Friday and it's 10 AM. Why?" her mother looked puzzled to Madison. "No reason, just for fun," Madison replied. "You're funny bunny," Mrs. Isaaks laughed, ruffled Madison's hair and walked to the store. Soon after her mother had gone, Madison heard a knock on the car window. She opened it. "Hello. Are you Madison?" a nice voice asked. "Yes," Madison responded. "Good. Your mother said that you could come and pick one Bratz-doll from my collection. They are at my car, over there. Would you like to pick one?" Madison couldn't see whom she was speaking with, but she did want a doll like that. So, she climbed out of the car and walked away with the one who had so nice voice. Fifteen minutes later, Madison's mother returned, only to find her car's door open. "Madison?!" she called her daughters name, looking around at the semi-empty parking lot.

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Seamus had picked the kids up little earlier and had asked if he could take them also in Wednesday. "Why?" Mare inquired. "Because when it's next time my turn, I can't take them on Friday but on Saturday," Seamus said and added, "Please," for Mare's big surprise. Then he handed their divorce papers to Mare. "OK," Mare granted. She was in good mood because of the divorce and he had said "please".

Thursday had gone by without body so Mare began to think that maybe there wouldn't come any more bodies. But the mail arrived to the precinct and brought only too familiar letter.

"_Madison, Madison, what can I say of her?_

_A queen bee, a homecoming queen._

_She was an empty head,_

_But still she laughed to me."_

"That's dated yesterday," David noticed. "That doesn't have to mean anything," Aaronson said. He and David were leaning on Mare's desk, thinking and discussing about their next step. They heard quick steps and raised their heads to see a strange woman, running at the corridor. She looked like she'd been crying. "She's got some serious troubles," Mare had time to say, before the woman ran in. "Oh my god, you've got to help me! My Madison, my little Madison," she yelled and fell to her knees. Mare walked quickly to her, helped her up and leads her sit at the chair. "Calm down, Mrs.?" Mare noticed the ring on the woman's finger. "Isaaks," the woman hiccupped. "Mrs. Isaaks. Now tell me, how can we help you?"

"My little Madison, she's disappeared, kidnapped. I went to a store and left her at my car. I was gone for twenty minutes. Went to buy freaking candles and pregnancy test and now she's gone," Mrs. Isaaks cried. "She was taken from your car at the parking lot?" David interrupted, "What store was it and was your car near the store?" and Mrs. Isaaks told the name of the store, "Yes, my car was near the store," she confirmed. "The security camera's uncle," Mare understood. "I'm gonna fetch the tapes, would you take the girl's details, Mare?" David instructed and left.

He returned an hour later. "That's their car. Mrs. Isaaks climbs out and walks to the store," David said. "She said that it was ten when she went in. It's 10.05 and there. Five minutes later. That's Madison," Mare continued. JJ walked in at Aaronson's office but didn't pay any attention to the tape they were watching. "We've got a body in Madison Square Park," she informed. "It might be only a coincidence," Aaronson noted but Hotch shook his head, "Hopefully but unfortunately this is too obvious to be anything else than what it seems to be," he said grimly.

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At the park, the scene was exactly what Hotch had expected. The sight was comfortless, heartbreaking. A sad, little figure was lying on her back, under one bush. "Don't let her see this," David immediately ordered Reid but it was too late. "Oh god," they heard Mare's terrified sigh. "Crap, why anyone didn't inform us that the victim is who we're looking for?" they heard Aaronson cussing and saw Mare run away towards the cars. She looked unwell. Soon they heard car starting. "What just happened?" Reid didn't quite understood. "That girl is bloody five years old," Aaronson still cussed. And now Reid understood. "Emmett is the same aged. Is she gonna be OK? Is Mare gonna be OK?" Reid started to become distressed. "No, she's not gonna be OK. But she needs to be alone awhile and you're needed here now. After this, you drive to her apartment and drag her out of there by whatever means necessary," David said, shaking his head. Reid followed the receding car with his eyes and when he couldn't see it anymore, he started to do what was needed.

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It was evening when Reid finally managed to leave. It had started to rain. He had stopped on a flower shop on his way to Mare's apartment and bought a bouquet of different colored tulips. He knocked Mare's door. It was quiet, but then he heard Mare's silent voice behind the door. "Go away, I don't want anything," she sounded like she was crying. "Mare, it's me, Reid," Reid said and heard how Mare opened the door. She had a book in her hands. "These are for you. And I know that it's raining but would you like to walk with me at the restaurant and have dinner with me?" he asked. Mare thought the suggestion and then agreed to come. She was ready in ten minutes and they walked at the restaurant. "So, what's your favorite place on the book you were reading? It was Catcher in the rye, wasn't it?" Reid started to talk, after they'd ordered. "How did you, oh yeah, the eidetic memory thing. My favorite place is in chapter 22, when Holden had misheard the poem Catcher in the rye and was talking about it with his little sister. And she corrects the poem for him and then Holden tells to his sister what he had pictured that he wanted to be. Just the catcher in the rye," Mare told. Then their plates came and they ate in silence.

The rain had abated to a small drizzle when they left from the restaurant. "Care for a little walk?" Reid asked and slipped his hand on Mare's. She nodded and they started to wander along the streets. Reid glanced at Mare, "Are you feeling better?" he asked. "Yes, thank you for the tulips. How did you know they were my favorites?" Mare asked. "Your uncle told me. He was worried about you and so was I. You got us all pretty scared today," Reid told. "I'm sorry," Mare whispered and pressed her head on Reid's shoulder. "So how did you learned to speak English when you moved to USA?" Reid asked. He thought it was nice what Mare had just done. "I hope my uncle hasn't told you everything because that is one stupid story," Mare said. She sounded better now. "No he hasn't told but tell me, please?" Reid wanted to know. "Well, I bought these books where was nursery songs, children's rhymes and songs and read them on my room alone," Mare confessed. "Did you have any favorite riddle?" Reid asked. "A few. I liked the "Pop goes the Weasel" and "Rumpelstiltskin" and "Horsey, Horsey", "Keepsake Mill" and "Two dreams", " Mare told. "Rumpelstiltskin. It's a character in a fairytale, originated in Germany. Brothers Grimm collected it. How does it go?" Reid had to ask. And Mare interpreted it to him, _"Merrily the feast I'll make, Today I'll brew, tomorrow bake. Merrily I'll dance and sing, For next day will a stranger bring. Little does my Lady dream, Rumpelstiltskin is my name!"_ then she suddenly burst to laugh."Wanna know what I dreamed when I was kid?" she asked from Reid. He nodded. "I dreamed that when I was big, adult, I'd have a big house. Two floors. A river or a forest in my backyard and near my house, a big tree where I could hang a swing. And a miniature pig," that made Reid laugh. "A miniature pig. And how many kids you would have?" he asked. "At least five," Mare replied and noticed that they had walked to her apartment. When they stopped, Mare turned to Reid and placed her hands around Reid's neck. "You want to come in?" Mare asked. "Sure," Reid answered. "Let me say this to you," Mare said, giving Reid a long, gentle kiss. It left Reid breathless. "Let's go in from this drizzle," Mare opened the door to the corridor, then to her apartment. "I could make us coffee," Reid suggested and went to Mare's kitchen while she was putting their coats on coat hangers. After the coffee was ready, they sat on the couch and watched news. "You must be tired," Reid said, after noticing that Mare's eyes started to shut, "Close your eyes and sleep," he continued but Mare had already fell asleep. Carefully, Reid closed the TV. Mare had snuggled on a better position beside him. "Goodnight Mare, I love you," he whispered, took their coffee mugs away and walked to the room of the kids, to Emmett's side because he didn't wanted to wake Mare.


	12. Chapter 12: Natick Street

Chapter XII: Natick Street

Natick Evan had just filled his cars tank and was about to drive away, when he saw a pretty brunette, looking under her cars hood. It was 7 AM on Saturday morning and nobody else seemed to notice the girl in trouble. Or they just didn't care. "Do you need help with that, Miss.?" Natick walked to the girl. "Yeah, thanks. I'm not really good with cars. You're early astir. I thought that nobody would be, this early," the girl wondered. "I was swimming like every Saturday, at this hour. My name is Natick Evan, by the way. I teach at college," Natick said and offered his hand to the girl. "Phoebe. Phoebe Patterson. And I know who you are," the girl whispered, ignoring Natick's hand, before sticking Natick with a needle. She waited for a minute or two and then dragged the dead man in her car, closed the hood and drove away.

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Mare woke up that morning to a divine smell of a fresh coffee. She got up from the couch and saw Reid, setting a breakfast table. "Mmmm, smells good but you really shouldn't have done all this," Mare commented, walking to the kitchen. "I didn't want to wake you up," Reid said. "Is that the reason why you slept at the other room?" and Reid nodded," Yeah," he confessed. Then he poured coffee to Mare. "I could easily get used to this," Mare sipped her coffee, smiling to Reid, who poured coffee to himself.

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"Here's news for you," Morgan said to his cell, when Reid and Mare arrived together, to the precinct. "What?" Penelope Garcia asked from the other end of the line. "Our own little genius has found a girlfriend," to what Penelope laughed. "From New York? You're joking, right? I mean, Reid is cute and all but he is little too mundane for NY chicks."

"Garcia, don't be so cruel. You want to know the rest or not?" Morgan asked. "You know I do."

"OK but you're gonna drop from your chair, baby girl. Her name is Mare Rossi," Morgan revealed. A short silence and then, "Did you say Rossi? As in David Rossi. The David Rossi from our team," Garcia returned to the line. "His niece," Morgan confirmed, laughing and ended the call.

"_He was my teacher at college._

_He is my victim now._

_He always knew what they did to me._

_But he didn't bother to really see."_

"This time the message seems to say that our unsub knows the victim," Aaronson said to them in his office, waving another message from the unsub, in his hand. "Did Garcia got anything clear from the security tapes we took from that parking lot?" Hotch asked from Morgan, who came in. "She managed to enhance it but not too well," Morgan answered and put one tape to the recorder. Excited silence fell to the room when everyone watched the video for few minutes and then, "Is that our unsub?" Prentiss broke the silence. "Yes, that's our unsub and she is in disguise. And I'm pretty sure that you'll have to refresh your profile because that is a female. Men won't wear a coat like that. That's a she, not he," Mare stated. "That's a coat on her? Why does it do like that?" Hotch asked. "It's got something to do with lights reflecting from the material," Mare explained. "And you know that how?" David was curious. "She is mimicking one shoplifter. She was robbing clothing shops here in New York, few years ago. She had that same kind of coat," Mare told. Her cell rang and she answered. She spoke to it for a minute and said," OK Lawrence, I'm coming," and turning to others she said," We might have better picture of our unsub," and left.

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She drove to the gas station and saw the owner, Lawrence Voorhem, smoking his pipe outside, waiting for her. Mare knew Lawrence because he had helped her with her car, many times and free. "Hello Lawrence. You have something for me?" Mare greeted Lawrence. "Yes, indeed I do. Of course, of course," the old man said, "After me, if you please," he fussed. Everybody loved this old man though he was a bit extraordinary and goofy. Mare followed him inside where Lawrence led her into a small booth. "This camera is filming the resting area of my station. Look now Mare. Indeed is this from this morning. Pretty brunette in stress. Mr. Professor Evan to the rescue. But what happens to him? Weird, yes, no. And good, clear picture of her, of course, of course," Lawrence babbled. "It sure is. This really is our unsub. Thank you Lawrence. Can I keep this tape?" Mare asked. "Of course," the old man promised. "Oh, one more thing. You might be in danger now because of this," but the little old man shook his head, "No, no, not in danger. Camera is small, is hidden very well. Nobody can see it, nobody knows the existence but Lawrence," he giggled. "OK, good. But you know where to call if you feel unsafe," Mare said and left.

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When Mare returned to the precinct, there was nobody, so she took the tape to the specialist and waited him to do his job. He didn't have to enhance the tape very much because it already had very good quality. After doing something little to it, he also printed one good picture of our unsubs face to Mare. "Thank you, Kevin," she said to the specialist. "No problem Mare. It's my job," he replied and Mare left.

From her desk, Mare found a note from her uncle. He wrote that they'd gone to a crime scene. Our unsub had left behind another body. The address was Natick Street at Staten Island but Mare knew that already. It wasn't necessary for her to go to the scene, so she did an essay, which was homework and also some final reading to her next test at university. Then she drove at the university, did the test and drove back to the precinct to fetch some papers that she needed but had left them on my desk. She noticed how late is already was, so Aaronson had gone home and the team had also left. Mare sighed before noticing a bouquet of tulips on my desk. With them, she found a message from Reid.

"_I'm sorry I couldn't be here waiting for you when you come back._

_I had to fly back to Virginia but I'll return on Wednesday._

_I already miss you. _

_Here's something for you, until I come back._

_Love_

_Reid"_

**A/N I had to borrow the woman with the light reflecting coat from CSI New York, because I thought it was so cool episode. Think it was on season 2. Nelly Furtado played that woman. So that is definitely not an accident, I just thought it was usable idea. **


	13. Chapter 13: Quentin Road

Chapter XIII: Quentin Road

Quentin Shapman was in a good condition. He did his daily running routine twice a day, no matter how the weather was. That Sunday morning was no exception. And so, after the church, he quickly changed his clothes and left. He'd ran only about 15 minutes, when he saw brown haired woman, in a jogging suit, sitting on the ground, holding her ankle. "Can I help you?" Quentin asked politely. The woman smiled to him. "Thanks. I think I strained my ankle. Would you be so kind and help me to my car?" the woman asked. "No problem," said Quentin and let the woman lean on him, while they slowly walked to her car. "Could you fetch the first aid kit from the trunk?" she asked. Quentin walked to the trunk, opened it and took the kit from there. He was just holding it, when he felt sting on his neck. And then, nothing.

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The letter from their unsub had arrived on Saturday, after they all had left home. Now, Mare was staring the message, without understanding it at all.

"_Quentin wasn't all too bad._

_Before he joined 'the gang'._

_There still is three more for me to take._

_Can you catch me in time, is your choice."_

Mare turned her chair around, to ask something from Reid, before she remembered that Reid wasn't there. Hotch had ordered almost the whole team to fly back to Virginia, yesterday. He had left David and Prentiss at New York. "Mare Emmalinda Rossi, get a grip. He's been gone only short while and you already miss him like crazy. He'll come back, it's not like he'll be gone forever," Mare mumbled. "Did you say something to me?" she heard her uncle say behind her. "Oh, hi. No, I didn't say anything. Why did the team had to fly back?" Mare tried to sound casual. "We are the best team and Hotch got a high profile case from Virginia, so they needed to go back," David explained. Mare sipped her coffee and stared out, where heavy rain was streaking the window. She tried to concentrate to the letter on her hands. "I know here's something important in here, in this letter but I can't figure it out. This is somehow different than the others but my brains seems to have fallen asleep," she sighed and dropped the letter on her desk. Then she stood up and walked to watch out of the window. David, who sat on the edge of Mare's desk, followed silently her. "You miss Reid, don't you?" he asked from his niece. Mare nodded. "Yes. And it's crazy, ridiculous. I've known him only so little time and he will come back. But this what I feel towards him, is totally different than what I felt towards Seamus," Mare let her words flow. David let her speak and listened compassionately. In his office, Aaronson got a call.

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"_Listen to me and listen carefully," _said a voice to Aaronson, _"My newest victim is at Quentin Road, Brooklyn. His name is Quentin Shapman. I have three more people to take, so you better hurry if you wanna catch me. The countdown begins now. Ticktack,"_ and then silence fell to the line. Luckily, for some reason, Aaronson had pushed recording on when the call came. "Agent Rossi, agent Prentiss, Mare, come here," he now ordered, "We have a body at Brooklyn, at Quentin Road. Agent Prentiss will come with me at the scene. Mare, see if you and agent Rossi can understand this," and handing the cassette to Mare, he left, Prentiss behind him.

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Mare put the cassette to a player and they listened it. When it ended, Mare understood, what had been so important in the previous letter and in the letter that they had from today's victim. "She wants to get caught. She'd attended Professor Evan's lectures and classes, so she knew, I mean really knew him. Other victims she didn't knew but somehow she still knew them. Maybe they had same names than someone she did knew," Mare realized. "So the third verse in this letter means that she's still gonna kill three more persons if we can't catch her before."

"I think so, uncle," Mare confirmed. "But what are we then looking for?" David was puzzled. Mare was unnaturally quiet, stared only out, where the rain was pouring, with glassy eyes. "Mare?" her uncle asked, cautiously. Suddenly, Mare sprung to Aaronson's desk and snatched the case file from it, shuffled it, found the paper she was looking for and quickly read it. Shocked expression spread to her face when she said, "Uncle, I think she's killing her college mates." David seemed to understand it now too. "We have one name now. Maybe she's our unsub, maybe not. But we have to send that name to Garcia, to Quantico. She might be able to find something that locals cannot find. And she might be able to find a college where this girl, attended," David decided. "Good idea uncle. It'll quicker that way and this is all we have for now. We have to start from somewhere," Mare said.

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"Detective Aaronson," one CSI yelled to Aaronson, through the gushing, loud rain, "we found a hair from this plastic bag which covered the calling card and we think there might be a fingerprint too in the bag," that CSI informed. Aaronson and Prentiss shared a look. "The clock is ticking," said Aaronson, "Ticktack," Prentiss replied.


	14. Chapter 14: Rose Street

Chapter XIV: Rose Street

The neighbors had seen Rose Cavendish arriving home, late on Sunday night. All of her neighbors would describe Rose as a good, quiet girl. They all liked Rose. And because of that, one of them called to 911, on Monday morning, at 2.00 AM, when every single light in her house was still on and her door was wide open. Police unit arrived at the scene, searched the whole house through and after interviewing few of the neighbors, they concluded that Rose Cavendish had disappeared, possibly kidnapped.

CMCMCM

The rain continued for a second day in a row. Mare heard it, tapping at the windows of the precinct building, when she, Aaronson, David and Prentiss were talking with Hotch and the others, through a speakerphone. Or it was more like Aaronson, Prentiss and David were talking, Mare only listened. They'd gotten another message and another call from the unsub.

_"Rose, Rose, you're only trying to be a pose._

_She thought that she was pretty._

_Pretty and witty. _

_She wanted to be a model._

_She failed on that so she started to bully me."_

The message didn't rhyme at the end but it didn't matter. In the call, the unsub had again told the place where they could find her victim, Rose Street, Queens and also the name of her victim and had ended the call just as she did the first one. Only this time, she'd said that there's only two more left.

"She wants what?" Mare heard Hotch's voice through the speaker.

"Yes, we think she wants to get caught. The people of CSI, found a hair and a fingerprint from a plastic bag that had covered the calling card. They are searching matches and DNA right as we speak," David explained.

"You told that Mare is thinking that the unsub is killing her college mates, so to speak," Reid's voice said on the phone.

"Yeah. We gave the print also to Garcia and she's searching from the databases of colleges," Prentiss confirmed.

"OK, good work. We are almost done here and we'll fly back to there on Tuesday evening or Wednesday afternoon," Hotch said ending the call.

David followed Mare with his eyes, when they walked out of Aaronson's room. He said quietly something to Aaronson, nodding at Mare's direction. Aaronson nodded too, answering something to David. After that small, silent conversation, David walked to Mare's desk and said,

"You've got break now, so I'm buying you lunch," and handed Mare's coat to her.

"You do realize that you're gonna lose her to us," Prentiss said to Aaronson, when David and Mare walked out.

"I know. But I'm willing to accept that loss if it means that she's gonna be happy at BAU," Aaronson stated.

CMCMCM

After buying their lunch's, chicken salad and tea for Mare and lunch sandwich, fries and coffee for himself, they sat down at one free table, near windows and David said,

"We have found an eyewitness who described a woman resembling our unsub, at the victims home, when she disappeared. The witness was one of her neighbors. Aaronson told that nothing new turned out from the scene where Rose Cavendish was found. "

Mare sipped her peppermint tea.

"We're running out of time. I heard the call to Aaronson, accidentally. The unsub said that there's only two more left. She told that after those two, she's gonna disappear and we'd never see her again," she said grimly.

"Let me tell you about your house in Virginia," David changed the subject after he'd noticed Mare's mood. "It's got two floors. Plenty of rooms for you and the kids. I didn't manage to get you a forest behind your house but you've got a nice, little river flowing through your property. And a big chestnut tree on the riverbank. The house has a large balcony and a verandah that goes round the whole house," he explained. He didn't mention Reid's name, intentionally and Mare thanked him silently for that.

David was about to add something more but his cell rang.

"Rossi," he answered. Then he listened awhile, nodded and said," OK, thank you Garcia," looked to Mare and told," Garcia found a match. We have a name now. Phoebe Patterston." Mare sensed the atmosphere change. It was electrified, like before thunderstorm.

"We're close now," she whispered, excited.

"Yes we are," her uncle confirmed, "And we've got to go and tell Aaronson and Prentiss about this new twist. We might still have time to get one step ahead of her and that's enough."

Quickly they got up and left. The rain had paused and lazy breeze was trying to scatter the clouds.


	15. Chapter 15: Sage Street

Chapter XV: Sage Street

Sage Brown was that kind of a guy, which Phoebe just couldn't tolerate. He was too arrogant, too full of himself and too rich for his own good. He thought that he could get anything and anyone because he was rich. And there he was, scanning her, thinking that she'd be easy. It was 11 AM on Tuesday morning. And that slime ball was about to score her. Just as Phoebe had wished, Sage Brown came to sit on her table at the bar.

"Hello gorgeous," he tried to flirt," You wanna continue partying in more private place?" Phoebe widened her eyes and pushed the stupidness-button on.

"Yes please but can I powder my nose before we go?" she asked in her most innocent voice and left to the ladies room. In there, she smiled evilly to her mirror image. "This is gonna be too easy," she said to herself.

Many witnesses saw Sage Brown leaving with yet another pretty brunette. That wasn't too unusual so they didn't bother to pay too much attention to it.

CMCMCM

"_Sage, Sage_

_It's not even normal name._

_And guess what._

_I soon will win._

_And you will lose."_

"_Good afternoon, Mr. Detective Aaronson. You already know what this call is all about," _a female voice said on the line.

"We know who you are, Phoebe. You can't win anymore," Aaronson said to his phone. The line went quiet but after a while, the voice returned.

"_I know that you know who I am. Don't you think I wouldn't have cleaned the latest scenes if I didn't want you to know?" _Phoebe said, voice sweet as honey.

"We know you want to get caught, Miss. Patterston," Aaronson tried to play time.

"_Sage Street, Queens, detective Aaronson. Sage Brown. Your time is running out," _Phoebe whispered and hung up. Mare let the breath, which she had held, out. Aaronson glanced at the technician, who sat beside his office phone. The technician shook his head.

"Damn it. She knew we'd try to trace her call," Aaronson cussed.

"We still have one more chance, unfortunately. But now, we have crime scene waiting," David said. All four of them left to the scene.

CMCMCM

In the evening, after Seamus had picked Emmett and Mathilda for the promised Wednesday visitation, Mare opened a bottle of cheap white wine, poured a glassful, took her keys and cell with her and went to sit at the stairs, outside. The day had been very hot and the same heat still continued. And the evening was unusually quiet.

Mare's cell rang.

"Rossi," she answered to it.

"_Hello Mare," _she heard Reid's voice, _"How have you been?"_

"Reid," Mare tried to swallow tears that suddenly had appeared in her voice.

"_Mare, are you OK?" _she traced a concern on Reid's voice.

"I'm OK. I, I've just missed you so much," a sigh of relief at the other end of the line, Mare sipped her wine, "But I don't know. I have this creepy feeling. This night is so quiet, it's almost as if the whole city would be waiting for something to happen. Something bad. Reid, I don't like this, I'm scared."

"_I'll be there tomorrow. Don't worry, nothing will happen to you," _Reid calmed her. Mare sipped her wine again, following the black storm clouds, gathering on the horizon.

"It'll rain tomorrow," she mentioned to the phone.

"_The rain is raining all around, It falls on field and tree, It rains on the umbrellas here, And on the ships at sea," _Reid interpreted.

"Oh Reid, how sweet. Robert Louis Stevenson, you remembered," Mare squealed to the phone. She was again on the verge of tears.

"_You're welcome, Mare. Sleep tight and don't worry. Goodnight,"_ Reid said.

"Goodnight Reid," Mare said back and they ended the call.


	16. Chapter 16: Tilly Park

Chapter XVI: Tilly Park

Mare woke up at 7.00 AM, on Wednesday morning. She didn't had slept much because of the heat and the fact that they hadn't caught Phoebe Patterston yet.

Being up so early, Mare decided to go for a short run and after that, she took a cool shower and drove to the precinct. Traffic had been stuck for some reason and it was 9.00 AM when Mare arrived to the precinct.

"Good morning Mare," Aaronson, who was at soda automatic, said.

"Morning," Mare said, heading to coffee automatic. She bought a normal coffee with milk and sipped it, before asking, "Any new messages?" from Aaronson.

"No, nothing," came here supervisors answer.

"Oh, well that can't be good," Mare stated.

"No it isn't. We haven't found her address or the school she attended so we don't even know her next target," Aaronson agreed. They had reached his office. David and Prentiss were already there.

"But what we do know is that the targets name will start with letter T and that this is Phoebes last victim," Prentiss summarized what they already knew. David's cell rang.

"Rossi," he answered, listened who was at the other end, put the speaker on so that everyone could hear and said, "Yes Penelope, tell us."

"_I've found the college that Phoebe Patterston attended but the address she'd given there, led me only to a PO Box," _Garcia started. Mare noticed that the mail carrier brought something to her desk.

"_The weird thing is that I haven't found any student whose name starts with T, from her classes," _Garcia continued.

"That is weird," Aaronson said. Even through all the noise of the precinct and traffic outside, Mare could hear the rising thunder. It would rain in the afternoon if not sooner.

"Could you wait for a minute," Mare excused herself and fetched the envelope, which had been brought to her desk.

"_Nothing personal,_

_But this time,_

_The victim is close to you, _

_Only for you."_

Mare returned to Aaronson's office, with the message.

"_Can I continue? Good. Now, I found that one girl had a nickname starting with T, in Phoebe's classes," _Garcia explained further.

"What's her name?" David inquired when Mare's cell rang.

"Yes honey, what's the matter?" Mare asked, noticing Emmett's name on the cell screen. Garcia had silenced.

"_Mommy, we can't find Mathilda anywhere," _came the little boy's scared voice.

"You can't find Mathilda? Hold on pumpkin. Penelope, what's the name of the girl?" Mare's voice hardly came out, so dry was her mouth.

"_Emily Tooter. But her nickname was…," _but Garcia didn't had time to finish her sentence.

"Tilly. Emily 'Tilly' Tooter. Phoebe has Mathilda. Emmett, are you at daddy's home? Good, mommy's gonna be there soon," Mare hung up but before she put it back to her pocket, it rang again.

"Rossi," she answered.

"_Mommy, mommy, help me!" _little girl screamed. Then other voice replaced it.

"_You know who I've got now so you better find us before…," _and the call ended with third teary _"mommy". _Mare stared her cell, paralyzed.

"Oh god," she then sighed and before anyone had time to do anything to stop her, she was on move. Throwing her cell to her bag, she grabbed her coat and ran out. The storm was arising fast.

"Where is she going?" Aaronson was bit puzzled with the new twist.

"_To Tilly Park, Queens," _Garcia, who still was on the line, told, _"And just for you to know, Hotchner, JJ, Morgan and Reid have just landed to New York,"_ she informed.

"Tell then to drive straight to Tilly Park," David ordered, thanked Garcia and followed then Prentiss and Aaronson.

CMCMCM

"There she is," Prentiss noticed Mare, when she, David, Aaronson and backup units arrived.

"Do you see Phoebe and Mathilda?" Aaronson asked.

"There, at the opposite side of the park," David said. Ten minutes later, the rest of the BAU-team arrived.

"What's the situation?" Hotch took the lead.

"Phoebe Patterston is located at the opposite side of the park with Mare's daughter and Mare is on this side, over there, at the tree line. Snipers won't be much good here but they're coming soon anyway," Aaronson briefed.

"What is she doing?" Reid was wondering.

"I don't know but we've got to move now, to secure Mare if the bullets start to fly," Hotch decided. Aaronson had stayed behind to give instructions to the snipers. After that, he followed them too and the snipers moved to their positions.

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"It's sad that this has to end, it's been so nice!" Mare heard Phoebe yell to her. She held Tilly close to her and had a needle on her other hand. From the corner of her eye, Mare saw the BAU-team and Aaronson arriving at the tree line. Then she saw a quickly moving shadow at Phoebe's side, behind her and knew that the snipers had stepped on the game now.

"Let her go Phoebe. She hasn't done anything to you!" Mare yelled back, moving closer to Phoebe.

"Help me mommy!" Mare could hear her daughter cry.

"It's gonna be OK, pumpkin. It's all gonna be OK," she calmed her scared daughter.

"No, it's not gonna be OK! You know I have to end this now!" Phoebe yelled and lifts the needle to inject the liquid in it, to Mathilda. Time seemed to freeze.

"Get down Mare!" she heard someone scream before she did as was told. She heard two gunshots and then fell the silence. Mare lift her head up and saw two bundles, little further, on the ground.

"No!" she shrieked and ran to where the bundles were. Smaller of them moved her head and then stood up.

"Tilly," Mare whispered, tears running down to her cheeks, when the little girl ran to Mare's arms. She carried her daughter further from Phoebe, who was still alive but couldn't move.

On the midway, the shock started to affect and Mare couldn't stand anymore but fell down. She sat down, hugging her daughter tight, crying uncontrollably. Right then, the clouds opened and poured the rain down.

"Why are you crying mommy? I'm OK," Mare heard Tilly asking.

"Mommy's so glad that you are OK, that's why mommy cries," she answered. The little girls face grew serious as if she was thinking something really hard. Then she announced giggling,

"I bit the bad lady."

"You bit her?" Mare asked, not believing what she'd heard. She stared her daughter awhile and then started to laugh, hysterically. She felt warm hands placed on her shoulders and heard Reid asking,

"Is Tilly OK? Are you OK?"

"We're both fine. She bit Phoebe," Mare nodded, still laughing. Reid couldn't quite understand what was so funny when he helped Mare and Tilly to the ambulance, where paramedics checked them.

**A/N One more chapter will still come until this story is over**


	17. Chapter 17: Epilogue: Goodbye, NY

Chapter XVII: Epilogue: Goodbye NY

Mare sat outside, at the stairs of the building and drank wine. It was the middle of September but the weather was warm because of the Indian summer that had surprised them all. Leaves were still mostly green but Mare noticed one yellow leaf here and another red one there.

"Mom, can I go and play with the guys after I've changed my clothes?" Mare heard Emmett asking. The boy just came home from the pre-school.

"Of course you can, pumpkin," Mare answered. Emmett rushed in, to change his clothes. Mare heard her cell ring and she dug it out of her pocket.

"Rossi," she answered.

"_Hello Mare. Don't you have school today?"_ Reid's voice asked.

"Yeah but I'm playing hooky and trying to get perfectly wasted," Mare laughed to the cell and continued, "Actually, I don't have many lectures anymore so I don't have to go there everyday."

"_Ok, I was getting little worried when you said that you were trying to get wasted. So, how is the weather?"_ that was Reid's normal question when he couldn't think anything else. Mare knew him well_._

"Looks like autumn will arrive to NY after all," she replied.

"_Oh, I thought that there would never be autumn in New York. You said so yourself,"_ Reid joked. Mare picked a fallen leaf from the ground and rolled it between her fingers.

_~~Flashback~~_

"_So, you're leaving tomorrow," Mare stated to Reid, when they were sitting in a restaurant. Reid had asked her out for a dinner. _

"_Yes. Hotch already has another case waiting for us."_

"_I'm gonna miss you," Mare said, as if it would've been a big confession._

"_I'll miss you more. But airplanes have been invented so I can fly to see you. I've always wanted to see New York and Central Park in autumn. I've heard it's beautiful then," Reid smiled. _

"_You've heard wrong. Don't you know it'll never be autumn in NY?" Mare said seriously but her eyes were laughing. _

_~~end of Flashback~~_

Later that evening, Mare was putting Mathilda to sleep. Emmett was at his friend. He'd stay there over night.

"Good night mommy," Mathilda whispered to her mother.

"Good night Tilly," Mare answered to her daughter and kissed her to her cheek. Then, she tiptoed out of the room and didn't forgot to hang the "Don't disturb"-sign on the doorknob.

Mare had her tea ready and when she poured it to her mug; she dialed her uncle's number.

"_Hello Emyn. Nice to hear your voice. How have you been?"_ David asked.

"I'm fine. Even better after I was at Phoebe's trial," Mare answered.

"_I heard she didn't got death penalty."_

"Phoebe's lawyer was really smart. He managed to bargain her thirteen life sentences but she'll sit them at psychiatric facility, Mare explained.

"_How's Tilly?" _David wanted to know.

"She's fine now. I don't think she even realized completely that she was at extremely dangerous situation. The only oddity in her behavior is, that she wants a "Don't disturb"-sign to hang on their doorknob at nights but I guess it makes her feel safe somehow," Mare told.

"_Kids are like that," _she heard David laugh at the other end. Then the line was silent awhile.

"So, what did you exactly said or did to Seamus? He agreed to let me take the kids with me, when we move;" Mare broke the silence.

"_Let's just say that I promised to look other way in a matter that has something to do with what Margaret has done earlier. I gave Seamus a lecture and warned him that if he wouldn't let Emmett and Tilly with you, I'd forget my promise. So, you're coming to Virginia?" _David was happy to hear what Mare had decided.

"Yes. It's goodbye to NY on April, next year," Mare confirmed.

"_Good choice Emyn. Your house will be cleaned and waiting for you. I'll see you in April," _David promised.

"Not if I see you first," Mare laughed and ended the call.

**A/N So, it's goodbye to Mare for now but we'll be hearing from her again. I'll promise you that. Keep tuned. Isla de Muerta thanks you all and stays behind the curtain to wait for the new story. **


End file.
